


Two Homes Are Better Than One

by ChocolateCapCookie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Angst is in the past tho, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Divorce, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forgive Me, Love, M/M, One Shot, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Past Relationship(s), Short & Sweet, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, This was written at ass o'clock in the morning, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, and arguing, some yelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 20:27:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20570378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateCapCookie/pseuds/ChocolateCapCookie
Summary: Steve and Bucky visit Steve's ex-husband, Tony, because it's his week to have their daughter, Morgan. There's a little tension, but for his daughter, Steve is willing to put up with anything.





	Two Homes Are Better Than One

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [@i.love.seb.and.bucky's post on Instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/p/B2J4OKaFEiD/?igshid=1citfby9xrdoq) Go check her out and give her a follow!
> 
> If you can't check out the link, the prompt is this: _Steve, with his husband, is picking up his daughter Morgan from his ex-husband Tony's house. It's his week to have her. _
> 
> Title is from When You Love Someone by James TW. It's a great song, had me crying real tears the whole time I wrote this.
> 
> I hope you like it!

Bucky nipped at Steve’s neck sleepily, trying to wake him up.

“Stevie,” he mumbled between soft bites, “ya gotta wake up, Stevie, you’ll be late.”

Steve groaned and rolled over, still half-asleep. “I don’t wanna wake up,” he moaned petulantly. “‘S too early, Buck, let me sleep.”

Bucky just sighed, used to his husband’s antics. “Babe, if you don’t leave now, you’ll never get to Tony’s on time.”

Steve’s eyes shot open. “Oh, shoot, I forgot I have to get Morgan today.” He sat up and stretched. Bucky shamelessly stared at his back, ogling his well-defined muscles. Hey, he married the guy, he could stare all he wanted.

“This isn’t the nineteenth century, Steve-o. you can say words like ‘shit’,” Bucky called towards his husband’s retreating figure. Steve didn’t acknowledge the comment at all, just locking himself into their bathroom to take a quick shower.

Bucky burrowed himself into the warm spot Steve left behind. He doubted Steve had even heard him; the guy was so excited about the weekend ahead, he probably hadn’t registered him at all. Bucky smiled to himself. He couldn’t wait to see the little squirt either.

_“Tony, god this is really sweet of you, but you didn’t need to!”_

_Tony kissed Steve lazily, ignoring his husband’s words. “What d’you mean I didn’t need to, it’s our anniversary Steve!”_

_Steve sighed and acquiesced, kissing Tony back. His eyes roamed over the expensive champagne and the extravagance of the restaurant Tony had brought him to for his surprise anniversary dinner. It was a beautiful place, the food was amazing. He loved Tony for this, he really did. But he also couldn’t stop thinking about the dent this would put in their budget, about how much he’d have to tighten his purse and his grocery list for the next few months to cover this. And then there was Morgan to think about; she took after her Daddy, the way she fussed about her food, drinking only the more expensive brands of milk. And diapers, diapers cost a lot more than Steve had ever thought._

_He sighed and turned his eyes back to Tony, pushing all thoughts of money away. Tonight was for them, and Tony had put so much love and effort into this ‘surprise’. He would talk to Tony about it later._

_As it turned out, he didn’t talk to Tony until much, much later. Too much later._

“Buck, I already have to deal with one child this weekend, don’t make me have to deal with two,” sighed Steve. He spared half a second to glance at his husband before setting his eyes firmly on the road. Bucky pouted from his seat beside Steve’s

“Stevie, you know I love Morgan, I really do. I just don’t see why I need to come on a fuckin’ two hour drive to pick her up with you,” grumbled Bucky, annoyance clear in his tone. He’d always hated road trips.

“Because, Buck,” started Steve patiently. “I wanted to let Morgan have a day out. Ya know, take her out for an ice-cream, maybe go to the park or an arcade or something. Lord knows Tony wouldn’t do that.” Steve rolled his eyes, and Bucky refrained from saying anything. Tony and Steve…that was a minefield he didn’t dare step on.

He sighed and laid his head on the window, watching the trees pass by. As much as Steve loved him, and told him he was wrong for thinking about it, he knew he was the reason for this whole mess. The reason they’d split up in the first place.

_Steve walked into their bedroom, tired to the bone. It was past 2 in the morning and all he wanted to do was collapse into their bed and sleep for as long as his body would let him. When he walked into his room though, the light was on and Tony was awake, fiddling around on his phone._

_“You look tired, Steve. Where’ve you been?” he asked, slow and measured. Steve was too tired to notice._

_“I spent the last 6 hours working on Bucky’s appeal,” he said, falling into bed beside Tony. “Fucking bastards at the station really don’t want to let him go. It was like pulling teeth to get all the papers he needs.”_

_“Still working on the Barnes case, huh?” said Tony, his voice growing colder and colder. “I swear, it’s like you need him more than you need me, sometimes.”_

_If only Steve had heard Tony’s words, and his cold tone. He’d have said something, maybe they’d have argued, but something would have been resolved, at least. But he fell asleep, and nothing was the same after that._

Steve and Bucky drove the last half-hour or so in relative silence, mostly because Bucky had fallen asleep against the window, and Steve was a good driver who didn’t listen to music on the road. He did take a second to glance at Bucky, who was mumbling softly in his sleep, his long hair falling over his face, a trickle of drool creeping out of the corner of his mouth. Steve had to resist the urge to kiss him then and there, smiling at how adorable his husband was.

Bucky snuffled awake as they pulled up to Tony’s house. It was small, much smaller than the places Tony had grown up in, but it was cozy and had a large front yard littered with bikes, toys and a playhouse. Steve grudgingly admitted to himself that yes, this was one thing Tony had done right.

Bucky took a moment to clean himself up, and they stepped out of the car together. Steve was nervous. He’d done this several times already, twice every month since the divorce. But he’d never brought Bucky with him, who knew what Tony’s reaction would be?

He took a deep breath, and Bucky, noticing Steve’s nervousness, squeezed his hand in sympathy. Steve squeezed back just as hard, but pulled away as they walked up to the front door.

Before they were even halfway across the large yard, two bodies popped out of the Little Tikes playhouse they had just passed. Steve didn’t even have time to nod at his ex-husband before a large force hit him around his stomach, knocking the air out of him and almost pushing him to the floor.

“Papa! You came early!” cried Morgan’s little voice from where she was hugging Steve. He grinned and carried her, father and daughter wrapping their arms around each other like they hadn’t seen each other only two weeks ago.

“I missed you so much, I couldn’t wait,” grinned Steve, brushing a few stray hairs off Morgan’s forehead.

“I missed you too, Papa!” said Morgan happily. She gasped and wriggled to be let down. “Uncle Bucky! You came to get me too?”

Steve released Morgan, and she ran to hug Bucky as well. The man knelt down so he was on her level and hugged her to his chest. “I couldn’t wait to see you either, sweetheart,” he said, smiling at Morgan.

“You want to see my playhouse, Uncle Bucky?” asked Morgan, and dragged Bucky away, keeping up a constant stream of chatter, talking so much that Bucky couldn’t get a word in edgewise. He didn’t seem to mind though, simply listening with fascination to everything she was saying. Steve watched them with a smile, until the pair stepped into the playhouse and Morgan’s voice was muffled.

It was then that he realized Tony was still standing there, his hands in his pockets, looking anywhere but at Steve.

“So, um,” started Steve, awkwardly. “How’ve you been, Tony?”

_“For fuck’s sake, why did you even marry me if all you ever think of is Barnes?! Bucky this, Bucky that…are you sure you married me and not him?”_

_Steve was shocked. Out of all the things he thought Tony was stressed about, this was not one of them. Steve was tired, home after a long day of work and worrying about his best friend. He couldn’t help it, he lost his cool a little._

_“Maybe I wouldn’t have to work so hard if you didn’t go around spending our money like it grows on trees!”_

_“Don’t turn this on me,” snarled Tony. “We could be living in a cardboard box and you still wouldn’t be working this hard. You’re only working for your little crush; apparently you don’t need a family anymore.”_

_“Forgive me for wanting to get my best friend out of prison. For a crime he didn’t commit, no less!”_

_“Are you sure he’s just your ‘best friend’?” asked Tony, and the sarcasm in his voice was enough to make Steve snap._

_“For god’s sake, Tony,” he shouted, his voice almost close to a yell. “I wouldn’t even have come across Buck’s case if I didn’t pick up those extra shifts. And why did I pick up extra shifts, again? Oh right, because you’re an incompetent idiot who can’t stop himself from spending our money and almost making us bankrupt!”_

_“We covered our debts!”_

_“No, we didn’t Tony, we’re not even halfway there. And you don’t get to sit there and shout at me when I’m the only one bringing any money into this house!”_

_Tony reeled back like he’d been slapped, and Steve immediately regretted his words. “You know we agreed on this,” said Tony, his voice low but so full of anger Steve involuntarily winced. “It was your idea for me to give up the job I’d worked so hard for. It was YOUR idea for me to be the stay-at-home-dad. It was YOUR idea to be the breadwinner. Don’t fucking pin this on me, Steve!” He snorted derisively. “Believe me, I’d never have stopped working if I knew you’d just run off and cheat on me the minute I stayed home.”_

_“I am not fucking cheating on you!” Steve roared, barely stopping himself from punching something. He was so frustrated, he didn’t even notice the swear word slip out. Tony did though, and he rolled his eyes, knowing it would only irritate his husband further. He felt a surge of petty pleasure as Steve started trembling in front of him, clearly working hard to control his anger._

_“You know what, Steve? I don’t even care anymore. Go fuck all the juvenile delinquents you want. I’m leaving.”_

_He walked out of the room, wincing slightly when he heard Steve punch the wall in his anger, He was silently grateful for the fact that Morgan was such a heavy sleeper; a hysterical baby was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. Steve came after him only a few seconds later, like Tony knew he would._

_“Tony, you have to believe me,” he said, trying to sound soft and loving. It didn’t work, as his trembling voice gave away all the anger and hurt he felt at the moment. “I promise, I am not cheating on you, not with Bucky, not with anyone. I just want to get him safe Tony, he’s been stuck inside for ten years, he needs me!”_

_Tony laughed, not in joy, but disbelief and sarcasm. “I’m not taking it back, Steve. I don’t want to live my life feeling like I’m only the second most important thing to you.”_

_He’d hit Steve where it hurt. Steve would rather crawl naked through a field of cacti before he gave up his dignity. And as Tony expected, Steve stood straight and stared awkwardly at him. “You want a…a divorce?” he asked, his voice unsure on that last word. But when Tony replied, he’d never felt more sure of anything in his life._

_“Yes.”_

“I’m doing fine,” said Tony, drawing Steve back into the present. “You brought Barnes here…I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I’m sorry if that’s a problem,” said Steve hurriedly. “He just really wanted to see her, and I thought we could all go out after this, and I wouldn’t need to drive all the way home…” He trailed off awkwardly, wishing Morgan and Bucky would get back so they could leave already.

Tony laughed softly, and Steve’s heart clenched, remembering the day they’d adopted Morgan. He’d never heard Tony laugh so lovingly before, his eyes bright and happy as he looked at his brand-new child. and although it was still was, and always would be, one of the best days of Steve's life, he couldn’t think about it anymore without a strange undercurrent of bitterness.

“It’s not a problem,” said Tony. “Morgan doesn’t mind, and I suppose I should get used to being around my daughter’s stepfather.”

Steve just smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Thankfully, Morgan and Bucky popped out then, and walked towards them.

“Go and get your stuff, Morgan,” said Steve kindly, and Morgan nodded before running inside to get her stuff. The tension only increased once she left, and Steve, Bucky and Tony all stood quietly, none of them making any attempt to break the awkward silence. All three men were very relieved when Morgan ran back out, a Moana backpack slung over her small shoulder.

“Where’re we going, Papa?” she asked Steve, who couldn’t help smiling at his daughter.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff planned, sweetheart,” he said. “Say bye to your Daddy, so we can leave and get started.”

Morgan hugged Tony, whispering an “I love you, Daddy,” into her father’s ear before turning around and chattering away to Steve and Bucky.

“Can we go to the toy shop first, Papa?” she asked cutely, and rambled on before Steve could nod an answer. “I wanna buy a lot of toys for the new baby.”

Oh.

_Oh._

Well shit.

Steve turned to look at Tony, the unasked question burning in his eyes. Bucky immediately sensed the tension and led Morgan to the car, knowing Steve and Tony had to talk.

Tony rubbed a hand nervously over the back of his neck. “Yeah, um, Pepper’s pregnant,” he said shyly, looking at his feet. “It’s a girl, but we didn’t tell Morgan yet. She’s working herself up with excitement for a baby brother.”

“Wow,” said Steve, trying to gather his thoughts, “Wow, Tony.” He paused and cleared his throat. For some reason he couldn’t say anything else. “That’s…that’s really great. Congratulations, Tony. How far along is Pepper?”

“A little past six months,” replied Tony, and Steve could see that he was almost glowing with pride.

“That’s nice, Tony, really. Tell Pepper I wish her the best,” said Steve, desperately trying to end the conversation and leave. “I’ll see you on Monday, then.”

Tony grabbed his arm. “Steve, wait.” Steve froze. That was the first time they had touched since…well, since the day he’d first said the word ‘divorce’.

“I was talking to Pepper a few days ago, and I realized I never properly apologized for everything I did,” he said, while Steve listened on. “I wasn’t exactly the best husband.”

Steve shrugged. “Don’t blame yourself, Tony, it was on both of us. And now you know how to make this thing with Pepper work. Learn from your mistakes, and all.”

Tony sighed. “I just want Morgan and this kid to grow up with a good role model, Steve. I don’t want to be to them what Howard was to me.”

“Don’t say that, Tony. You weren’t the best husband, I’ll admit, but you were always an amazing dad. These kids are going to be the best, most amazing kids in the whole country.”

Tony laughed. “I gotta say, Steve, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism.” His smile faded away as he continued speaking. “I also wanted to apologize…about Morgan. Now that I’m having my own full-time kid, I can’t tell how horrible you’d feel only seeing Morgan once every month. I’m so sorry, Steve.”

Steve just shrugged in reply again. “We both knew the courts wouldn’t grant custody to the dad who was dating a recently-released, still-on-probation criminal. I don’t blame you for that, Tony.” He sighed and looked over at the car, watching Bucky and Morgan playing and giggling together in the front seat. “Yeah, I miss her a lot, and leaving her back here every month is heartbreaking in a way I’ve never felt before. But you learn to deal with it,”

Tony looked like he was going to say something else, but a loud honk came from his car at that moment. Morgan stuck her head out of the passenger seat window, supported on Bucky’s lap, and yelled over at Steve. “Papa, why’re you taking so long?”

“I’ll be right there, sweetheart!” Steve shouted back, before turning his attention to Tony again. “I guess I’m leaving then.”

“See you, Steve,” said Tony softly, and Steve simply smiled before turning to walk away. Before he’d taken a single step though, Tony’s voice came floating through to him again. “For the record, you were always the better one. Between both of us.” His voice, that voice that Steve had fallen in love with for the first time, was so soft and sincere that Steve could feel himself getting choked up. He didn’t say anything, just nodded in gratitude to Tony, and speedwalked to the car.

Steve got in and kissed his husband, softly but urgently, needing some kind of release for all of the emotions whirling around inside him. Bucky, bless him, didn’t ask for any explanation, simply going with what Steve wanted. They kissed, sweet and slow, just enjoying the feel of each other’s lips, at least until Morgan yelled from where she was strapped into her car seat.

“Papa, stop! That’s yucky!” she cried, and her screwed-up pouty lips and button nose were so sweet that Steve laughed softly to himself, before pecking Bucky’s lips one last time and revving up the engine.

“What was that all about, Stevie?” asked Bucky, pleased but confused.

“Nothing,” said Steve, looking from Bucky to Morgan, his heart exploding with love for the both of them. “Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Again, check out @i.love.seb.and.bucky on Instagram; her post is what inspired this whole story.
> 
> Minor edit after I read the comments: This is a story about divorce. Neither Steve nor Tony were intended to be the 'villians'. A divorce comes from fault on both sides, and Tony definitely was not meant to be the bad guy. If anything, I'm inclined to blame Steve's workaholic tendencies and lack of communication, more than anything Tony did. Tony's statement at the end comes mostly from his insecurity and anxiety about the new baby, and how he sees himself in relation to it. Still, I understand that many people don't like the premise of this, and I apologize for that. Thank you for letting me know!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and if you left a comment or kudos, thank you so much more. Comments are like the food that feed my soul lol, so please leave one. And if you have any requests or prompts, please feel free to leave those down too.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading, and I love you 3000!


End file.
